Reference
Antonov An-124-100 Ruslan
Heavy charter aircraft for pieces that will not split. Payload, hold, door and the job it usually flies are below.
- Structural payload
- 120,000 kg
- Hold volume
- About 1,040 m³
- Hold length × width × height
- 36.48 × 6.40 × 4.40 m
- Main cargo door
- 6.40 × 4.40 m
How the Antonov An-124-100 Ruslan is used
A heavy-lift freighter with ramps at both ends and a 36-metre hold, built for loads that cannot be broken into pallets.
Nose and tail access means cargo can be driven straight through. On-board cranes let the aircraft load itself where there is no ground equipment. It is the usual answer for generators, turbines, locomotives, satellites and other aircraft.
Cargo it usually takes
How this family is arranged
- The hold is sized around the load, with a cross-section that stays nearly constant along its length.
- A nose door, a tail ramp, or both let cargo be driven or winched in at floor level.
- The floor is rated for concentrated point loads, with heavy lashing points built into the structure.
- Ramp freighters use a high wing, so the floor sits close to the ground and the hold stays clear of the wing box.
- Some types carry their own cranes and winches, so they can load where there is no ground gear.
Why operators pick it
- It takes pieces that cannot be split: turbines, generators, locomotives, satellites, other aircraft.
- Ramp loading does not need a main-deck loader, so airports with almost no cargo gear can still accept it.
- Self-loading gear makes the aircraft usable at remote sites and on relief flights.
Settle these points before you book
- This is charter work. Lead time and price are agreed for each movement.
- The fleet is small and demand comes in bursts. The usual limit is whether an aircraft is free.
- An outsize piece needs a survey, engineering, and often a purpose-built cradle before the aircraft is booked.